The United States of America today welcomed the meeting between the presidents of Sudan and South Sudan for the countries’ recommitment to the unconditional implementation of the September 27, 2012 agreements.
Reports say Sudan and South Sudan signed cooperation agreements on security and economic matters at Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.
The deals also includes that two countries would continue to work together to resolve the outstanding issues including Abyei and the call for a demilitarized zone along the border.
In her remarks in Washington DC, the US ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice says the two countries now finally move from rhetoric to action by clearly implementing the agreements reached in Addis Ababa without further delay.
“The parties now have agreement on a plan and a timetable for implementing the Safe Demilitarized Border Zone.” – Ms. Rice
She says the agreement between the parties to instruct the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee to urgently constitute the Abyei Area administration, council, and police service.
Resolution of Abyei’s final status is critical to promoting sustainable peace, she added.
The US shares the assessment of the African Union Peace and Security Council that the AU High-Level Implementation Panel’s September 21 proposal for Abyei still provides a fair, equitable, and workable solution.
Ms. Rice underlines that this proposal provides for Abyei’s continuing special status as a bridge between the two countries with guaranteed political and economic rights for both the Ngok Dinka peoples and the Misseriya, whatever the outcome of the referendum.
However, Ms. Rice pointed out that the US remains deeply concerned by the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile, and we received a briefing about that.
“We’re also deeply concerned about the ongoing aerial bombardments by the Sudanese Armed Forces, including in civilian areas.” – Ms. Rice
She emphasizes that the Security Council must work collectively now to press for immediate and unfettered humanitarian access.
In addition, the US urges the two parties to conduct urgent talks on humanitarian access, a ceasefire, and a political resolution of their conflict.
In Semptember 2012, agreements were reached between Sudan and South Sudan on security, oil, financial, nationality, and trade issues.
The leaders of both countries signed a cooperation agreement after talks in the Ethiopian capital that began on Sunday
The agreements include an oil deal last month ensuring the resumption of oil exports.
In addition, both parties also agreed on a demilitarised border buffer zone where troops must withdraw 10 kilometres from the de facto line of control along the disputed frontier.
Earlier in August 2012, Sudan and South Sudan have finally struck a deal on how to share their oil wealth.
Reports say the parties have agreed on all of the financial arrangements regarding oil.
The two countries were given August 2 deadline by the United Nations to solve disputes from border security to oil payments.
The oil impasse between two countrieshas lasted more than six months.
In addition rEarlier of June 2012, Sudan and South Sudan have made significant progress to end hostilities.
The forces of South Sudan have completely pulled out of Abyei, that the forces of Khartoum, the SAF forces are also now out of Abyei.
In addition, South Sudan has recently completed withdrawal processes of its police forces from the disputed Abyei to comply with the United Nations Security Council resolution endorsing roadmap of the Africa Union Peace and Security Commission.
South Sudan reportedly complied with all aspects of resolution 2046, which calls on both sides to resume negotiations on post-partition issues and signed pact with three months.
The United States of America also welcomed the redeployment of all Republic of South Sudan Police Services out of the Abyei Area.
The US said the withdrawal of police forces in Abyei is an important step toward ending the border dispute with Sudan.
The United States has commended the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei for its strong support to this process.
The United States renewed call upon the Government of Sudan to honor its acceptance of UNSCR 2046 and the AUPSC communique, including by redeploying all of its armed forces from Abyei and by immediately ending aerial bombardments in South Sudan, which are a clear violation of Resolution 2046.
Amid the continous call from the United Nations and the United States to cease the hostilities between Sudan and South Sudan, violence and tensions continue to escalate in the region earlier this year.
South Sudan’s military was involved in the attack on and seizure of Heglig, home to Sudan’s largest remaining source of oil following the South’s secession.
Late of March this year, military clashes have erupted in the border region of Sudan and South Sudan.
Media reports say South Sudan accused Sudan of sending warplanes to bomb two border areas.
Meanwhile, Sudan accused the southern army of attacking the oil-producing Heglig region wherein parts of which are claimed by both warring nations.
The military clashes prompted Sudan’s President Omar Al-Bashir to suspend plans to attend a meeting with his South Sudanese counterpart Salva Kiir on 3 April.
In July 2011, South Sudan, Africa’s 54th nation was born. Millions of people celebrated a new national identity and new national promise. For more than two decades, Sudan has been riven by intense fighting over land and resources.
However, the security situation in the disputed area of Abyei remains fragile, with both South Sudan and Sudan failing to withdraw their armed forces as agreed under a demilitarization pact reached in June 2011.
South Sudan became independent from Sudan on 9 July. A referendum on the status of the Abyei area on the border was to have been held in January this year, but never took place amid disagreement on voter eligibility.
Dozens of people have been killed this year as a result of clashes in Abyei and surrounding areas and tens of thousands of have been forced to flee their homes.
